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Herpes viruses could be the cause of Alzheimer's disease, at least in some people.
People with a serious herpes infection who had been aggressively treated with antiviral medication had a 10-fold lower risk of developing dementia over the course of 10 years. This is the result of a study conducted by Taiwanese epidemiologists, published in February in the journal Neurotherapeutics
What is Dementia?
Dementia describes the decline of above average mental capacity. That the quality of our thought goes back a little in old age, is normal – and no dementia. It is only when the mental deterioration is very strong that doctors talk about an illness. About ten percent of people over 65 are affected, and about half of them suffer from Alzheimer's disease, which causes death of nerve cells in the brain. Although there is still no cure for the progressive destruction of the brain, the course can be slowed down by medication and the early and targeted training of memory
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- hypertension
- deafness
- social isolation
- depression
- diabetes
- smoking
- too little exercise
herpes increases the risk of dementia
Conversely, the study also showed that an infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) resulted in an increased risk of dementia. That's what British scientists wrote in a commentary published in the journal Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. "This article and two others from various Taiwanese research groups provide the first evidence on a broad basis that there could be a causal link between the herpes virus and Alzheimer's disease" said Professor Ruth Itzhaki of the University of Manchester.
Antiviral drugs could help
Antiviral drugs can therefore be a safe and easy way to fight dementia, perhaps the disease could even be avoided in the future with a vaccine in the world. ;childhood. Many researches focus on the main features of Alzheimer's disease – protein deposits in the form of so-called amyloid plaques and neurofibrils.
By 1991, however, scientists discovered that HSV-1 is also present in the brain in many older people infected with the virus. In 1997, researchers also found that the presence of viruses in the brains of people with specific genetic factors may increase the risk of Alzheimer's. "In 2009 we were able to show that HSV is present in the amyloid plaques of patients with Alzheimer's disease," says Itzhaki.
Tips for Preventing Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is a terrible disease that still needs to be treated. But now you know very well how to minimize the risk and improve the chances of recovery. Here are the most important tips.
Read here
Scientists suspect that viruses in the brain are reactivated by certain events such as stress, immunosuppression or infections and inflammation in other areas. This could be the cause of Alzheimer's disease, at least in some people. HSV-1 is known as a trigger for cold sores and stays in the body for life after an infection. (aponet)
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